The Colombian sensation Jackson Martinez is one of the most productive strikers in this football season. He has scored 12 goals in 14 appearances in the Primeira Liga, and therefore, he is one of the most wanted footballers in the winter transfer window.
Jackson Martinez would be a fine addition to Arsenal’s squad, since he has a great combination of skill, speed and power. Wenger could use him as a lone striker like he used Giroud at the start of the season, but he could also be teamed up with the French international. His acquisition would mean Arsenal would gain more opportunities for tactical maneuvers in the attack and the possibility to counter some powerful Premier League defenders with the same power and strength, instead trying to trick and beat them on counter attacks.
Martinez recently talked to press about his aspirations and future plans.
“When I was a kid, I cheered for Arsenal. I love their style of play, it is flowing and open, with a lot of first touch passes. It would be suitable for a player like me. If I get an opportunity to play for a high level Premier league club such as Arsenal, I wouldn’t hesitate to accept it”, he said, according to Sky Sports.
Arsene Wenger will probably try to add one attacker to his team in January, because of Giroud’s recent form, and injuries that often happen in the Arsenal squad. In that case, Martinez is the likely choice, since Arsenal’s other projected target, Olympiacos Konstantinos Mitrouglou, is a similar type of player as their first attacker Giroud.
Jackson Martinez could be cheaper than the other players too. Recently, he rejected a new contract offer from Porto, and doing so clearly declared that he intends to leave the club in the near future.
Martinez has a contract with Porto until the summer of 2016. The Portuguese giant therefore don’t need to sell him yet, but it’s pretty clear that if they want to negotiate the best price for him, they would maybe need to sell him right away. Logically, a player that is approaching the end of his contract is less and less valuable over time. Martinez has a hefty 34 million buy-out clause inserted in his contract, and after the negotiations for the new deal with Porto fell apart, it is unlikely that any club would trigger that clause.
